On this Fourth Sunday of Easter the Word of God revolves around Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In many countries this Sunday, the Church invites us to pray for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life.

Also the Church exhorts us to listen to the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, among the voices of a world full of extroversion, which sometimes are the voices of fear and superficiality, “that full of themselves are incapable: that allow themselves to be fascinated by the appearance of the truth that all “prophets” have of lies and conceit”. Pope Francis.

However, in the midst of the wild abandonment in which we live, where sometimes we don’t think or hear, there is a voice of hope. There is a generous voice with power that forgives us and calls us to follow Him.

Jesus’ invitation to listen to Him commits us “with His Word that has always existed together with the Father that took away the life of chaos and abyss. It is the wisdom of the Word which promises us eternal life”.

Jesus says: I know you.

He knows of our greatness, but also knows how we hide “within our walls and do not allow His healing Word to enter our being wounded by sin”.

“They follow me”.

We follow Him when through prayer we discover that we occupy a special place in His Plan of Salvation and then the faithfulness of following Him will be more authentic and effective. Remember that “In him we live and move and have our being”. Act. 17:28.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, speaks to us through many voices.

Through the Pastors that the Lord has given to His Church and also through the Magisterium that the Spirit of Christ has entrusted to them: We listen to His voice in his Word, His Sacraments, Confession, the Bread of Life (The Eucharist),…….

“My sheep hear my voice” is an invitation to listen Him and respond with faith to the call of bringing a word and a gesture of consolation to those who are prisoners of the new slaveries of modern society, to open our ears and break the yokes that oppress and to practice mercy and forgiveness with the joy and the hope of the risen Christ.